LIBYA: According to the CNT, the French killed in Benghazi was conducting illegal activities

The five French working for private security company Secopex, including his boss killed by rebels during the operation, were conducting "illegal activities" that endangered the security of Libya, announced Friday the Rebellion Jamahiriya.

"On the evening of May 11, the local security forces in Benghazi were ordered to arrest a group of 5 French conducting illicit activities that endangered the safety of free Libya," said the National Transitional Council ( CNT), the governing body of the rebellion, in a statement.

"These men had been under surveillance for some time," the CNT.

"Unfortunately, he was shot by accident after trying to resist. He was taken to hospital but died. The four were arrested," also said the rebellion.

FOOTBALL - THE QUOTA CASE: No legal proceedings against members of the FFF

Ten days after the beginning of the controversy over the possible application of ethnic quotas by the French Football Federation, the outcome of the case is imminent. The Minister for Sport, Chantal Jouanno, spoke Tuesday about the investigation conducted by the services of his ministry, and whose findings were surrendered on the evening of Monday.

Chantal Jouanno announced that the Ministry of Youth and Sports would not be the case in court: "The evidence we have does not allow us to prove the existence of a quota system or a system project quotas.Today we do not have elements to convey anything to the prosecutor. "

After noting that the football world had been "seriously shaken by the revelations of the site Mediapart," the minister confirmed that he still appeared "very clear that discussions on ways to limit the number of players and binational quotas [had] been held. "

No witch hunt

Chantal Jouanno also came on the individual responsibilities of several executives of the Federation.She acknowledged that the national technical director (DTN) Blaquart Francis had "taken" from "About regrettable" but nevertheless assured that "no document [would] suggest that a discriminatory philosophy has been maintained to the DTN" .

She has finally ruled on the case largely Laurent Blanc considers it inseparable from the context: "It was an internal meeting at the DTN. [...] White attended for the first time this type of meeting . The hearings clearly shows that he discovered this debate. He had no firm plan on the subject, no notice, "she explains.There are no facts to suggest that White condone discriminatory guidelines instead. "

And the minister quoted the coach of the Blues to support him: "If only blacks in the poles and if blacks want to play there in the France team that fits me very well."

Chantal Jouanno also said that the investigation by its staff tended to prove that Muhammad Belkacemi had "not submitted documents to the press." Last week, the adviser acknowledged that National had made the recording of the meeting complained of November 8.There will be a "reminder to the rule" for him "that it is forbidden to record meetings."

Call for change to FFF

While recalling that "the State [could] do not interfere in the affairs of the federation," Chantal Jouanno felt that there was "no doubt be heavy make decisions within the FFF. She said it had proposed an "organizational audit" to instances of domestic football, and a "managerial support.Recommendations that the FFF has no obligation to follow nonetheless.

Parallel to the survey by the Ministry of Sports, the Federation conducted its own investigation internally, in collaboration with government departments.

The ratio of the two investigators was delivered Tuesday morning to the president of the FFF Duchossoy Fernand, who will unveil an outline in the day Tuesday.

According to a source familiar with the matter told AFP the paper would report "internal problems" but has found no "wrongdoing" or "discrimination characterized.

In addition to the scheduled press conference on Tuesday, the FFF will hold a special federal council on Thursday.It will discuss, identify potential internal administrative penalties.

COTE D'IVOIRE: Back on the life of Ibrahim Coulibaly, head of the Commando invisible, killed by FRCI in Abobo

Forces Ivorian president Alassane Ouattara killed Wednesday night the former coup leader Ibrahim Coulibaly, known as "IB", head of the commando invisible "in the north of Abidjan, which was perceived as a threat even if the power had contributed to the fall of Laurent Gbagbo.

Several hundred members of the Republican Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FRCI), equipped with pickup topped with heavy machine guns and rocket launchers, launched Wednesday morning a major attack against the stronghold of "IB" in the popular district of Abobo (north), noted AFP.

After this "security operation and peace", "IB + + is sought refuge in a yard (residential) near a factory in PK-18 (north of Abobo)," said the AFP Captain Leo Kouakou Alla, spokesman of the Ministry of Defence.

Hostage taking and summation

In this court, Ibrahim Coulibaly "took hostage an entire family. FRCI made warning shots twice and he responded with gunfire.The FRCI had no choice but to retaliate, and the response has been fatal, "added the spokesman.

The clash that took place around 20:00 (GMT) has made "two soldiers killed and several wounded," FRCI side, and "seven lives" in the opposing camp, where "IB" itself, he said.

The FRCI had progressed during the day in his fief without encountering any real resistance.

The "commando invisible" had contributed to the downfall of former President Laurent Gbagbo on April 11, destabilizing his regime by increasing control of the north of Abidjan at the beginning of the year.

The appeal of Alassane Ouattara

President Ouattara had Friday called the former coup of 1999 and 2002 to disarm his men, under penalty of being compelled by force.

"We asked for a week, ten days, the time to explain to the combatants that they must disarm unconditionally. We must convince them that they can lay down their arms without fear for their lives", told AFP at the beginning Felix the offensive ennobled, number two commando invisible. "

"IB" had asked to be received by the Head of State to make available. His entourage had accused Prime Minister Guillaume Soro to block this request.

Mr.Soro was historic adversary of Ibrahim Coulibaly in charge of the rebellion of 2002 failed coup against Gbagbo, whose forces he finally took the head and which now forms the bulk of FRCI.

Ibrahim Coulibaly, one of the most mysterious of the Ivorian scene for a decade, had claimed in recent days his part in the downfall of Mr. Gbagbo, while providing stand under the authority of Alassane Ouattara, which had been the bodyguard.

In an interview with French daily La Croix, published Thursday, Mr. Ouattara has estimated that nearly 3,000 death toll of post-election violence in Côte d'Ivoire, while the UN reported nearly 1,000 dead.

Egypt: The Egyptian army reintroduced the crime of opinion in respect of a blogger

Egypt seems to have trouble settle his accounts with the Mubarak era. A blogger has just made the bitter experience. Maikel Nabil was sentenced Monday to three years in prison for criticizing the military line. This is the first time since the fall of former President Hosni Mubarak, January 18, an Egyptian is sent to prison for expressing his opinions.

"This is a trial worthy of the time of Hosni Mubarak," complains FRANCE 24 Ezzat Ahmed, Egyptian jurist and member of the Association for freedom of expression and thought.Arrested March 28, Maikel Nabil was brought before a military tribunal, which is "totally illegal since it is the trial of a civilian," said FRANCE 24 Morayef Heba, a specialist in Egypt and Libya for the association of human rights Human Rights Watch. Egyptian military authorities accused him of calling on his blog at the end of conscription, which would call a "negative effect on Egyptian youth."

The military court has also allowed some liberties with the rights of defense. The blogger has thus been condemned in the absence of his lawyers Monday."The head of the court we were told that the decision would be made Tuesday, April 12," says FRANCE 24 Ali Atef, one of the lawyers Maikel Nabil, still under the purview of the surprised.

The new taboo

The verdict for comments made online has even more importance as the Internet has largely contributed to the Egyptian revolution. However, this is not the first time that the military authorities succumb to past practices by organizations defending human rights."Several people who attended events of March 9, Tahrir Square [to judge who called President Hosni Mubarak and criticizing some military officials, Ed] were arrested, tried by a military court and sentenced to prison," recalled Ahmed Ezzat.

He says that as long as certain laws, such as those on political parties and freedom of the press, were not repealed, "beautiful minds of the Egyptians will have changed, the system may still succumb to the same excesses."

"The army has become the new dirty word in Egypt," laments Atef Ali for his part, counsel for Maikel Nabil.A person who is, according to him, even more pronounced at the time of Hosni Mubarak. "Traditional media avoid talking about the military and the only ones who dare to mention the army are now bloggers," says he.

"We should not kid ourselves, the democratic transition does not happen in a few months it will take years to get there," said Ahmed Ezzat. Meanwhile, Maikel Nabil was transferred from his brother at the Tora prison. His lawyers intend to appeal against his conviction ... always before a military tribunal.

COTE D'IVOIRE: UN to investigate the violence committed in the country

Reuters - The Commission on Human Rights to the UN on Friday gave its approval for the shipment to Côte d'Ivoire for an independent commission to investigate the violence.

The intergovernmental body composed of 47 States and based in Geneva, approved the resolution submitted by Nigeria on behalf of African countries.

The assessment of post-election violence prepared by the High Commissioner for Human Rights UN reports of 462 deaths.Nearly a million people have fled further Abidjan, as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

According to a spokesman of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, an investigation is underway regarding allegations of the death of 200 Africans from Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Guinea and Togo, around the town of Guiglo, located in western Côte d'Ivoire.

Alassane Ouattara was declared winner of the second round of the presidential election four months ago by an independent commission Ivorian whose results were certified by the UN. Laurent Gbagbo, named winner of the election by the Constitutional Council, refuses to cede power.

COTE D'IVOIRE: Ping brings a "message" to the AU in Abidjan and requires "stop killing"

The president of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping, presented Saturday in Abidjan Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and leaving his rival Alassane Ouattara, a "message" of the panel of mediators, which demanded "an immediate halt to killings ".

According to Mr. Ouattara, President recognized by the international community, it is an "invitation", he accepted at a meeting of the Council for Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the AU, scheduled for 10 March in Addis Ababa.

The visit of Mr.Ping comes as the outbreak of violence two weeks ago raised fears that the crisis arose from the November 28 poll will lead to a civil war.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Saturday expressed readiness to "move quickly" against the perpetrators of crimes against the civilian population.

Seven women were killed by gunfire during a pro-Ouattara Thursday in Abidjan, in the district of Abobo (north). Witnesses, the camp Ouattara and the UN mission in the country, UNOCI, accused the Defence Forces and Security (FDS) loyal to Gbagbo.The Gbagbo government on Saturday rejected the blame on "terrorists" armed insurgents that FDS face in Abobo and which he says are supported by UNOCI.

Accompanied by the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the AU, Ramtane Lamamra, Mr. Ping met in the afternoon with Mr. Gbagbo at his residence.

He then found Alassane Ouattara at Golf Hotel in Abidjan where it is entrenched with the government under a blockade of forces loyal to his opponent, whose panel has called for the lifting.

Mr. Ping has not revealed the contents of the "message". But Mr. Ouattara said it consisted of an invitation to Thursday's meeting of Heads of State of the SPC."Of course, I accepted this invitation and all the arrangements (will be) taken for me to go there," he said.

Mr. Ping, who was to leave Abidjan on Sunday morning, then met with President of the Constitutional Council N'Dré Paul Yao.

Close to the outgoing President, Mr. Yao N'Dré is central to the post-election crisis that, while Mr Ouattara was declared winner by the electoral commission and the UN, the Constitutional Council struck down some of these results and proclaimed Gbagbo reelected.

Mr.Ping is sent by the panel of five African heads of state on the Ivorian crisis, which met Friday in Nouakchott under the chairmanship of Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz (Mauritania) and in presence of Jacob Zuma (South Africa), Jakaya Kikwete (Tanzania), Idriss Deby (Chad) and Blaise Compaore (Burkina Faso).

The group, whose findings were originally expected in late February, was finally in March to reach solutions "binding".

For now, the quintet has demanded "immediate cessation of killings" and protests that could "degenerate into disorder and violence."

The Security Council UN fears a "resurgence of civil war."After a failed coup, the fighting of 2002-2003 had divided the country into two, the north being in the hands of the former rebel New Forces (FN) now allied with Mr. Ouattara.

The violence has already killed 365 since late 2010, including 50 in a week, depending on the balance sheet prepared by UNOCI before the death of seven women in the neighborhood of Abobo, a stronghold of Mr. Ouattara.

The humanitarian situation is worsening further with the exodus of residents in Abobo and west, plagued by fighting between FDS and FN.

After a break occurred since Monday FN zone, electricity and water have been restored Saturday, residents said several northern cities.The Gbagbo government had relied on industrial needs, but the UN had denounced "an inhuman act with tragic consequences."

COTE D'IVOIRE: African Union proposes a power-sharing or new elections

AFP - Four African presidents panel on the Ivorian crisis were preparing to meet Tuesday in Abidjan, Alassane Ouattara, leader of the state recognized by the international community, following a meeting with his rival, incumbent Laurent Gbagbo, background violence.

On the second day of their visit, Idriss Deby (Chad), Jikaya Kikwete (Tanzania), Jacob Zuma (South Africa) and Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz (Mauritania) should meet by mid-day with Mr. Ouattara at the Golf Hotel where he was entrenched with his team, his entourage said.

As to Mr. Gbagbo on Monday, the panel must submit to Mr.Ouattara's proposals to end by 28 February solutions "binding" on both sides.

According to a South African minister, the four Heads of State delegated by the African Union (AU) to resolve the crisis post-election power-sharing offer or an interim government until new elections.

The panel of mediators, which includes the South African President Jacob Zuma, "attempts to find a compromise solution, whether sharing the presidency between the two presidents or government (...) of interim until new elections, "he said Tuesday at the AFP Deputy South African Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Ibrahim.

"I do not think the panel looks for one or the other, both Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara, because it would lead to a destabilization of the country," said Ibrahim, interviewed on the sidelines of the session Parliament in Cape Town.

The panel met with Mr. Ouattara, originally scheduled for Monday evening, could eventually take place. In the entourage of Mr.Ouattara, we explained that he wanted to express his dissatisfaction and a lack of representation of West Africa in the delegation.

The Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore, a panel member, agreed to drop to travel to Abidjan for "security reasons": more than a thousand pro-Gbagbo youths were waiting at the airport the former mediator in the peace process Côte d'Ivoire (2007-2010) whom they accuse of being an ally of Mr. Ouattara and the former French colonial power.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which adopted a harder line that the African Union with the threat of force to dislodge Mr.Gbagbo has also strongly criticized the continuation of the visit of the panel cut one of its members

"The ECOWAS Commission was concerned to see that the panel has nevertheless decided to conduct the tour immediately without the participation of a senior member whose contributions to the peace process in Côte d'Ivoire are priceless and deserve better assessments and more respect, "she said.

For her, the situation on the ground was not "conducive to the holding of a mission of such importance."

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, James Victor Gbeho, who recently ruled sternly attempts to compromise with Mr.Gbagbo has also canceled his trip to Abidjan.

The new mediation occurs when the Ivorian capital is experiencing a resurgence of tension since the weekend.

After nearly three months of crisis, the camp Ouattara, inspired by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, called on his people to take action to expel the president.

According to local newspapers, at least six people were killed Monday in clashes between supporters of very violent M.Ouattara and Forces for Defence and Security (FDS) loyal to his rival in the popular districts of Abobo (north), Kumasi and Treichville (south).

These clashes have resulted for several hours at the scenes of urban guerrillas, witnesses said.

The post-election violence killed at least 300 deaths since mid-December, the UN says.

Egypt: Egyptian journalists are trying to turn their revolution

A journalist's flagship national television driven from Tahrir Square, the editors called for the resignation, an editorial upset overnight ... Egyptian journalists working for state media try, too, to make their revolution.

"During the first 10 days of the protest movement, coverage of events by the Egyptian media has been shameful, denounces Rasha Abdulla, director of Journalism and Mass Communication from the American University in Cairo, cited by the U.S. daily" The Washington Post. "It was like they were living on another planet."

Since then, things began to change."The change is radical, confirms Wael Qandil, editor of the independent daily" Al-Shourouk. "The editors who spent their time to kowtow to power calling for transparent elections and the official media are now allowed to deal with Muslim Brotherhood members who were previously excluded from the media landscape. "

"The revolution in Al-Ahram!"

In "Rose el-Youssef," one of the four main government dailies, the employees demanded the resignation of their editor, Abdullah Kamal, and managing editor, Karam Gabr.For the second consecutive day, journalists and employees have demonstrated Wednesday in front of the newspaper's headquarters, preventing the executive to join its offices. In "Al-Jumhuriya," another state-run daily, the atmosphere is the same, the editor Ibrahim Ali being disowned by his staff.

Within the daily "Al-Ahram, the most widely distributed in Egypt, the voltage is also keen. According to the website of the newspaper, more than one hundred employees gathered in the lobby on Tuesday, demanding permanent contracts."The revolution throughout Egypt, the revolution of Al-Ahram '!" They chanted, repeating also slogans against corruption but also against the newspaper owners.

Their editor, Omar Saraya has yet made these days a 180 degrees. "Until now, he was a pillar of the regime of President Hosni Mubarak said Tamer Ezzedine, FRANCE 24's correspondent in Cairo. It now shows friendly demonstrators." In a forum, Omar Saraya praised the "nobility" of the revolution, calling on the regime to rapidly implement reforms.

But these last-minute reversals are not always pay.The television star presenter Egyptian Amr Adib, come talk to those camping for more than two weeks in downtown Cairo, was jostled and insulted before being driven from Tahrir Square.

"Take the train"

The journalists of Radio and Television of State, meanwhile, tried to protest on Wednesday to denounce the coverage of recent events on their media. "The gathering could not take place, they were only forty at the headquarters of Radio Television, said Tamer Ezzedine.But several groups have formed on Facebook to say they were not accepting the lies that were disseminated. "

Another journalist in the crosshairs of the profession, Makram Mohammad Ahmad, President of journalists' union. As the responsible official media, he has been appointed by the Head of State. At a demonstration outside the headquarters of the union, members of the organization have called to leave his post. They also allege that the union not to have expressed its solidarity with the Egyptian journalist Mohamed Mahmoud Ahmad, was killed while covering the protests.

According to his wife, Mohamad Ahmad Mahmoud filming clashes from the balcony of his office when security forces shot him, to the head, January 29.He died six days later from his injuries.

To Wael Qandil, if the change in tone is real, it is still too early to speak of genuine freedom of expression. "The state media following the evolution of official discourse, he says, they are just trying to take the train. But those who would use a real freedom of expression are still under attack of power. "